Equipment for moving snow or other movable substances



0d. 17,- 1939. a. c. 'SOULE ET AL EQUIPMENT FOR MOVING SN OW OR OTHER MOVABLE SUBSTANCES Filed Sept. 26, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 r E: 1 is:

Z3 Z9 Z0 Ina 16123013 n r I 0 e A n Wmw A a W Oct. 17, 1939.

G. c, SOULE El AL 2,176,576

EQUIPMENT FOR MOVING SNOW OR OTHER MOVABLE SUBSTANCES Filed Sept. 26, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 liavezl$nry George 63 Joule 0leE HenIgr il ti 0 0d. 17, 1939. c, SQULE r AL 2,176,576

EQUIPMENT FOR MOVING sndw OR OTHER MOVABLE SUBSTANCES Filed Sept; 26, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 17, 193

UNITED FATE"? EQUHMENT FOR MOVING SNOW OR OTHER MOVABLE SUBSTANCES Application September 26, 1935, Serial No. 423% 9 claim.

The problem of removing snow from sidewalks by motorized equipment can theoretically be attacked by the use of a snow plow mounted on any type of equipment having power to push it.

But practically only the narrowest types of motive equipment are able to pass between the frequent obstacles, such as trees, poles, hydrants, etc., which would force a wider vehicle to drive out into the street to pass them. This has reduced the practical range of equipment to wheel and crawler tractors because of their narrowness.

The snow plow constituting this invention can be made in widths to suit any type or width of motive equipment, but for the practical reasons stated above its discussion will be aimed at its use on tractors and more particularly on narrow crawler tractors which will handle severer' snow conditions on account of their greater traction.

-In approaching this problem there are two major requirements to be met. At substantially every street intersection the plow must go down off one curb and up onto the other curb. It must be lifted precisely to curb height when climbing a curb. If it is not lifted high enough it will strike the curb. If it is lifted too high it will leave snow between the plow and the sidewalk at the edge of the curb.

Curbs vary in height. Therefore, mechanical means controlled by the operator and dependent on the operator's judgment of height, such as worm gears or hydraulic lifts have not proved satisfactory, owing to the operators inability exactly to judge and control the lift of the plow and adjust it accurately to the heights of the various curbs.

The use of a mechanical or manual lift ordi narily forces the operator to stop the tractor at each curb and therefore cuts down production very seriously. To avoid the conditions referred to above, viz, dirty plowing and loss of time, the plow constituting this invention is furnished with means of automatically lifting the plow to exact curb height without stopping or slowing down the speed of the tractor and without requiring any attention on the part of the operator. This is done in different circumstances and on different equipment by a variety of means. One way is a wheel mounted on the forward or left hand side of the plow, and pointing fore and aft, with its center just ahead of the foremost part of the plowing blade and its lower rim approximately even with or slightly below the cutting edge of the plow. This wheel being something more in diameter than double the height of the curb to be mounted. When the propelling vehicle pushes the plow up to the curb, the wheel contacting -the upper comer of the curb at a point below its own center of revolution, rolls up over the curb and lifts the plow to an exactly predetermined relationship with the sidewalk surface. This without any attention by the operator and sub stantially without friction.

Another means is a conveyor chain, mounted in place of the wheel and pitched at an angle to perform the same two services.

Still another means is a rigid fore and aft land side replacing the wheel and sloped up to lift the plow and provided with a series of rollers on its bottom edge to reduce friction, or with a roller chain around it.

A still further means is a fore and aft land side with rollers as described above or with sprockets and with a conveyor chain running around the rollers.

Allof these devices have in common the same specific objectives, namely, lifting the weight of the plow automatically, and to exactly the correct height and reducing the'friction attendant on the lifting process by some means of revolving or rotating surfaces.

The great advantage of the automatic curb climbing device will be obvious. The elimination or substantial reduction of friction during the process of curb climbing may be less obvious but width located at the cutting level of the plow exactness just what cross section or fiat surface will begin to make a plow ride under conditions ordinarily met because even a sharp runner would ride over solid ice while a much wider runner would do a fairly good job on snow that was perfectly dry and powdery and had no tendency to cohere and had not been trodden on.

Snow with a high moisture content when trodden by people walking on the sidewalk before the plow arrives has a much greater tendency to make a plow ride than dry snow. Wet snow frozen creates a still worse condition so that the only solution is practical experience in a great variety of conditions the result of which would indicate that the lifting skid or rollers begin to make trouble in riding a plow when their width is in excess of one-half inch and thatthey should be designed as much thinner than that as is possible,

the low limit being a point at which the replacement of wearing parts interferes with the continuous operation through the storm.

just as hard as the snow farther on, so that when climbing a curb the tractor has its regular job of moving the snow ahead of it plus the special job of pushing the plow up over the curb.

Consequently the ability to move snow of a maximum depth is reduced when curb climbing by exactly the amount of friction caused by its special and extra job of pushing the plow up over the curb. To the extent that this extra job is made easier by reduction of friction just to that extent can it plow a greater depth of snow while climbing, so that the lifting by means of rolling surfaces covered in this invention, compared with the rigid lifting skids first tried, by the very great reduction of climbing friction enables the tractor to plow deeper and harder snow and do the work of a larger tractor without any corresponding increase in either cost of acquisition or cost of operation.

Another very practical advantage resulting from the use of rolling surfaces on the automatic curb climbing device is as follows. Using either rolling surfaces or the old-fashioned rigid skid principle, the width of the rolling or skidding member must be kept down very thin to prevent them from acting as runners and ng the plow ride over and leave on the sidewalk snow that is hard or that has been trodden on.

If the lifting device is sufficiently narrow so that it will not thus-ride the. plow over hard snow, it becomes extremely susceptible to wear from abrasion with the sidewalk surface. This is particularly true of the rigid skid which has no provision for reducing the grinding of the metal by the sand content of highway and sidewalk building materials. Replacement of this wearing surface accordingly becomes so frequent that the plow may not even go through a single storm without being stopped for repair, while the life of the lifting devices with the rolling surfaces is longer to the very great extent ofthe friction saved by the rolls.

Still another advantage from the point of rolling surface instead of rigid skids for curb climbing shows up when the tractor and plow approach a curb at an angle other than a right angle.

The point at which the skid or wheel is located 7 is several feet in front of the tractor so that the leverages from any side strain are correspondingly multiplied. When the wheel or skid strikes a curb at the angle above mentioned a part of the lift and the friction incidental thereto is turned into side strain which with its considerable leverage tends to divert the tractor from its course and make steering difllcult. The very substantial reduction of friction by the use of rolling surfaces makes this inconsequential as constructed under this invention while it is very serious with the old rigidskid.

The lifting of the plow over the curb introduces the second major requirement for clean and eflicient sidewalk snow removal. And that is starting the clean plowing from the very edge of the curb by preventing the propelling vehicle from lifting the plow off the sidewalk surface as it follows the plow up over the curb. During this process of following the plow up over the curb the propelling vehicle must tip up. If the plow were rigid with the propelling vehicle this would lift the plow in the air and it would not resume contact with the sidewalk surface until the propelling vehicle had progressed far enough so that its general position would again be parallel with the sidewalk. To prevent this the plow is pivotally connected to the propelling vehicle.

With all types of propelling vehicles aconsider able upward tilt is caused by climbing a curb and with the crawler tractor this tilt is particularly acute because as the tractor progresses this angle 01 tilt keeps increasing until the center of gravity of the tractor has passed beyond the edge of the curb. A substantially equal tilt in the reverse direction occurs when climbing down ofi the curb.

The sum of these two tilts necessitates providing for a very considerable up and. down movement between the plow and the tractor if the plow is not to be lifted thereby. Means are accordingly necessary to keep the plow centered and in fore and aft line with the tractor, both when the plow is far below the direction of the horizontal plane of the tractor or other propelling vehicle, and also when in coming off a curb it is considerably above such horizontal plane. In ordinary highway snow removal where the change of vertical angle between the plow and the propelling vehicle is of a moderate proportion, the plow is commonly kept centered by means of chafing members wherein rubbing plates are put on the tractor and engaging plate are put on the plow outside of those on the tractor and these plates can slide up and down in relation to 80 each other.

But in sidewalk work where constant curb climbing is necessary chafing plates have proved impractical because of the length of engagement necessary in both the up and the down direction. 85

The engaging members tend to jamb when the plow tips sideways and the members on the plow become so tall and unwieldy that there is no practical way of supporting them against side strain.

They cannot be supported by cross bracing be- 40 tween themselves because the space between them must be left free for the tractor to move up and down in. Nor above the tractor hood because it would interfere with the vision of the driver. An

adequately wide base for trussing on the outside cannot be provided without increasing the over-all width of the plow structure and as before stated only the narrowest propelling vehicles can be used for sidewalk work, and if the plow is not built as narrow as the propelling vehicles, the advantage of the narrowness of-the propelling vehicle is lost thereby.

In the plow herein described the plow is kept centered by means of pivotally jointed members,

one end of which is fastened to the front of the 56 with their apexes pivoted together, or by means of two rectangles similarly attached and pivoted or by means of other shapes or by means of plates in any shape which will permit pivotal fastening to the tractor. Or simliar shapes may be used with one end pivoted and a sliding connection on the other end. This type of centering member requires no joint in the middle as reciprocal changes in elevation are taken care of by the sliding connection on one or the other end.

By eliminating delays with our lifting wheel and by ensuring. clean plowing with its companion part, the high lift centering device, we make snow tion. I

In this plow which is shown as a one way plow there is only one possible location for the lifting wheel which is at the point where the plow mold board first contacts and starts to move the snow. Placed at any other point it would prevent the snow from moving in the direction in which theof the plow would tend naturally to hang down and tip up the front end off the curb as the plow advanced until it reached the balancing point.

If this condition were permitted to occur snow would be left at the edge of the curb. In this plow it is prevented by the centering device previously described which not only permits the plow ample latitude in up and down movementand holds it at all times correctly centered, but also holds the blade of the plow in a substantially level position while it is being lifted by the wheel at the forward "extremity of the plow and against the natural balance of the plow.

In our sidewalk plow the lifting and frictionreducing wheel, or equivalent device, carried by the plow very definitely combines and coacts with the centering connections between the plow and propulsion vehicle td meet and overcome the two major problems hereinbefore set forth which when solved in this way combine themselves into the one desirable result of automatically and effectively keeping the plow in true and correct plowing position both vertically and laterally when climbing on and off of curbs as well as when plowing on a level surface.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a narrow crawler tractor designed for sidewalk snow plowing and equipped in accordance with our invention with an automatic lifting and friction-reducing wheel and a centering connection between the plow blade and the tractor, the plow blade being shown in the act of being lifted up over the curb by the lifting wheel. a

Fig. 2 is a view from the opposite sideof Fig. 1

and showing a subsequent position of the parts wherein the plow blade has been completely lifted over the curb and placed on the sidewalk in a substantially level position, the fore part of the tractor being still climbing the curb and its rear part being still on the street.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective as seen from the front, the parts being' in approximately the position of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan detail showing the method of mounting the lifting wheel and plow blade on the underframe of the tractor.

Figs. 5 to 10 inclusive are detail views illustrative of various forms of lifting devices, and

For the purposes of this application we have illustrated our invention as a one way side-walk.

snow plow adapted to be propelled by a narrow crawler tractor or other motorized propulsion vehicle. The plow blade is indicated at B, the tractor at T, the street or highway at H, the curb at C, and the sidewalk at S.

The automatic lifting device for lifting the plow the exact curb height without stopping or slowing down the speed of the tractor and without requiring that the operator manipulate some mechanical device as a hydraulic-lift or worm gear is indicated at W.

Such liftingdevice W may conveniently take the form of a wheel mounted onasuitable axle or journal at the forward or left hand side of the plow blade and pointing fore and aft. The center of the wheel is preferably just ahead of the foremost part of the blade. approximately even with or slightly below the cutting'edge of the blade, the wheel itself being slightly greater in diameter than twice the height of the curb which is to be mounted so that when the propulsion vehicle pushes the blade up to the curb the wheel will contact the.

upper corner of the curb at a point below its own center of revolution and will roll up over the curb and lift the blade to an exact predetermined relationship with the sidewalk surface with the minimum of friction during the process of climbing the curb.

The wheel or other lifting device W is thin enough so as to avoid acting as a runner or skid which will cause the plow to ride over hard snow and leave it on the sidewalk instead of plowing it 011 but is not so thin as to be extremely susceptible to wear from abrasion by the sidewalk surface and hence to require frequent replacement. Experience has shown that'for most snow conditions the wheel should not be in excess of one-half inch thick.

The plow blade B and lifting device W are mounted on the underframe 20 of the tractor in any suitable manner. This underframe is preferably although not necessarily in the general form of a Y, but may vary according to the particular tractor or other propulsion vehicle used. The rear end of the Y is pivoted in any suitable manner to the tractor beneath the same. The forward or open end of the Y extends forwardly beyond the front end of the tractor and the blade B is rigidly attached thereto in any suitable manner as indicated at -2i and 22.

If desired the blade maybe backed by any suitable spring (not shown) contained in the spring turret 23 which is located between the underframe and the rear side of the blade.

In order to enable the blade to start to plow the sidewalk clean at the very edge of the curb onto which it has been lifted by means of the lifting wheel we provide a pivotal connection between the blade and the tractor which prevents .the tractor from lifting the blade off the sidewalk surface as it follows the blade up over the curb, as would occur if the blade were rigid with the tractor.

Such pivotal connection permits a very considerable up and down movement between the blade and the tractor so that the blade may be kept centered and in fore and aft line with the tractor at all times and regardless of the curb height and of whether the tractor is ascending or descending the curb. Moreover, such pivotal connection avoids the use of the chafing plates ..commonly employed on highway plows between the tractor and the plow blade, but which plates have been found impractical for sidewalk plows because of the length of engagement necessary where the sidewalk plow must ascend or descend curbs of different heights.

One end of the pivotal connection is pivoted to the front of the tractor and the other end is pivoted to the underframe 20 which carries the plow blade. As here shown the tractor is provided at its front end with a vertically disposed frame 24 between which and the underframe 20 Its lower rim is Bit such pivotal connection is interposed. Prefer-f ably, the pivotal connection is of Jack-knife type. In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive it comprises a pair of pivotally jointed members 26 and 28. These may be in the form of two triangles with the base of the upper triangle :8 pivoted as at 25 to the frame so and the base of the lower triangle 28 pivoted as at 28 to the underframe 2d, the two triangles being pivoted at their apexes to each other as at 2?.

The frame 26 may be utilized as a carrying frame for the blade B and lifting device W when they have been raised up off theground, as for example when the plow is running over here ground.

'For this purpose, we may mount a hydraulic.

jack on the frame 26 and may provide such frame with a forwardly extending arm 38 from which depend chains 32 which are fastened at their lower ends to the forward end of the pivoted underframe 2b.

In Figs; 5 to inclusive we have shown certain variants of the lifting device. Figs. 5 and 6 w the wheel W as provided with a detachable or renewable rim 83 to compensate for wear. This rim. may be a complete ring or it may be in sections. it is bolted or otherwise removably secured to the wheel W as at 36.

In Fig. 7 we arrange around the periphery of the fixed circular wheel or landslde W a plurality of rollers for further reducing friction. These rollers are mounted on studs set transversely through the wheel near its perimeter, each stud having a pair of rollers loosely mounted thereon beyond the sides of the wheel.

in Fig. 8 we combine with such wheel W and friction reducing rollers till a peripherally disposed sliding conveyor chain which with the rollers assist in further reducing friction. The conveyor chain encircles the periphery of the lifting wheel and slides thereon and the rollers are mounted as in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 9 the rollers 35 of Fig. 7 are replaced by the conveyor chain This chain encircles the periphery of the lifting wheel and slides thereon as in Fig. 8.

In Fig. 10 the lifting device W is formed as a segment of a circle instead of a complete circle, the friction rollers 35 of Fig. 7 being utilized. The rollers 35 are mounted as in Fig. '7.

In all forms, the efiect is to greatly reduce fric tion in ascending or descending the curb and to enable a small tractor to plow deeper and harder snow than it otherwise could.

While we have shown and described'our in- I vention in connection with a plow for snow re moval, it will be understood that this disclosure is purely illustrative and in no way limiting, and that the principles of our invention may be adapted and applied to various other types of equipment, such as vehicle-propelled brooms designed for use on sidewalks or other types of motorpropelled equipment which has the common problem of climbing curbs.

Also while we show a one-way snow plow the devices are equally efiective and necessary in sidewalk snow removal when plows of -V or offset V design are used.

The term curb" is used herein in its broadest sense to mean any reasonable obstruction that the plow must go over, as for example, the rails or ,ties of a railroad, or the edge of a station platform, or even flights of steps.

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Material removing apparatus, comprising a propulsion vehlcle,-an underframe carried by said vehicle and extending forwardly thereof, a blade carried by said underframe, ands pivotal connection between the forward part of said vehicle and the forward part of said underframe for keeping the blade centered and in approximately fore and aft line with the vehicle in all positions of the vehicle.

2. Apmratus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pivotal connection comprises a pair of upper and lower members pivoted to each other at their adjacent ends and at their distant ends pivoted respectively to the forward part of the vehicle and the forward part of the underframe.

3." Material moving equipment comprising a propulsion vehicle, a material moving element propelled thereby, a push mechanism connecting the two and pivoted for movement in a vertical plane and yieldable to lateral pressure, and an amiliary device interposed between the vehicle and the push mechanism and comprising a pair of triangular members pivotally connected to each other at their spices and pivoted at their bases, respectively, to the vehicle and the push mechanism.

4. li/iaterial moving equipment, comprising a propulsion vehicle, a blade propelled thereby, an underframe push mechanism connecting the two and pivoted for movement in a vertical plane and yieldable to lateral pressure, an automatic lifting device rotatably journaled on said blade near its forward edge, and an auxiliary device pivotally attached to the vehicle and the underframe push mechanism, and having means for compensating for changes in distances between its attachment points when the underframe push mechanism is raised or lowered with relation to the vehicle and holding the push mechanism substantially rigid against movement resulting from said strain.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the auxiliary device comprises apair of triangular members pivotally connected to each other at their spores and pivoted at their bases, respectively, to said vehicle and underframe.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the underframe is in the form of a Y and the blade is mounted at the forward end of the underframe between the open ends of the Y.

7. In combination, a propulsion vehicle having a vertically disposed carrying frame and a longitudinally disposed underframe, said underframe projecting forwardly of the vehicle and carrying a material-moving blade and a blade lifting element in advance of said blade, aind said carrying frame having a blade-suspension cable, and a pivotal connection between the carrying frame and the underframe and independent of said blade suspension chain for keeping the blade centered and in fore and aft line with the vehicle in all positions of the vehicle, said pivotal connection comprising an upper and a lower member pivoted to each other at their adjacent ends and at their distant ends pivoted respectively to the lower end of the carrying frame and to the forward portion of the underframe.

8. In combination, a propulsion vehicle having a vertically disposed carrying frame and a longitudinally disposed underframe, said underframe projecting forwardly of the vehicle and carrying a-material-moving blade and a blade lifting element in advance of said blade and said carrying frame havimg a blade suspension cable, and a pivotal connection between the carrying frame and the underframe and independent of said plane and yieldable to lateral auxiliary device interposed between and pivotally blade suspension chain for keeping the blade centered and in approximate fore and aft line with the vehicle in all pasitions oi the vehicle, said.

pivotal connection comprising upper and lower triangular members arranged with their apices disposed towards and pivoted to each other and with their bases disposed towards and pivoted respectively to the lower endof the carrying frame and to the forward portion of the underframe.

9. Material moving equipment comprising a I propulsion vehicle, a material moving element propelled thereby, a push mechanism connecting the two and pivoted for movement in a vertical pressure} and an attached to the vehicle and the push mechanism and comprising a pair of oppositely disposed members pivoted to each other at their adjacent endsr'and having means for compensating for changes in distances between its attachment points when the push mechanism is raised 'or lowered with relation to the vehicle, and holding the push mechanism substantially rigid against -10 movement resulting from side-strain. L

GEORGE C. SOULE;

CABLE D. HENRY. 

